The Expression of Connective Tissue Growth Factor in Pregnancies Complicated by Severe Preeclampsia or Fetal Growth Restriction

• Published in: Placenta (Eastbourne) Vol. 30; no. 11; pp. 981 - 987
• Main Authors: Oh, S.-Y, Song, S.E, Seo, E.S, Kim, K.H, Choi, S.-J, Suh, Y.-L, Sadovsky, Y, Roh, C.-R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chorionic Villi - metabolism; Connective tissue growth factor; Connective Tissue Growth Factor - biosynthesis; Connective Tissue Growth Factor - blood; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Female; Fetal growth restriction; Fetal Growth Retardation - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Placenta - metabolism; Placental injury; Pre-Eclampsia - metabolism; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Third - physiology; Trophoblast; Trophoblasts - metabolism; Placental injury; Connective tissue growth factor; Trophoblast; Preeclampsia; Fetal growth restriction; Intrauterine growth retardation; Pregnancy disorders; Tissue factor; Pregnancy toxemia; Pregnancy; Connective tissue; Fetal diseases; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Complication; Severe; Growth factor
• ISSN: 0143-4004; 1532-3102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2009.08.006

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that the expression of placental connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is enhanced in pregnancies complicated by severe preeclampsia (PE) or fetal growth restriction (FGR). CTGF expression was analyzed using immunostaining, western blot and real-time quantitative PCR in placental samples obtained after third trimester cesarean deliveries without labor from women with severe PE ( n = 11), idiopathic FGR ( n = 14), or healthy controls ( n = 14). Serum CTGF concentrations were analyzed using ELISA. We found that CTGF was stably expressed in villous trophoblasts throughout pregnancy. The expression of CTGF mRNA in placentas from severe PE or FGR was higher than placentas from controls. Whereas the levels of placental CTGF protein were similar between normal and severe PE, maternal and fetal serum CTGF levels were elevated in severe PE. Maternal CTGF levels were also distinctively elevated in women with PE or FGR with histological evidence of placental injury. The enhancement of CTGF expression as well as serum CTGF levels in clinical conditions attributed to placental dysfunction suggests a role for this secretary protein in the pathophysiology of placental injury or its sequelae.